Sui, Tang, and Song
Sui (589 – 618) After Han: Era of Six Dynasties Sui reunified (under Yang Jian) Buddhism Grand Canal Militaristic and violent Murdered Li Yuan took over Founded Tang (618-907)
Tang Capital (Chang’an) Pop. 2 million Paper Money
Tang Policies Bureaucracy of merit Equal Field System Major Expansion Harder Confucian-emphasized exams Equal Field System Major Expansion Tributary System
Buddhism Zen (Chan) Pureland 845 – Persecution
An Lushan Rebellion 755-763 Defeated by Uighurs Generals who retook a province became governor Tang never recover
Chaos (era of five dynasties) 907-960
Song 960 – 1279 Civil Service exams Professionals in bureaucracy Equal opportunity?
Society Moveable type printing Cheaper books Compass Gunpowder
Economy Land reform Urbanization Fast growing rice Introduction of steel, cotton, gunpowder
Society Footbinding Banned 1949
Religion Neo-Confucianism Zhu Xi Revival of Confucianism Secular (rejected Buddhism) World is real: fulfillment comes from participation, not withdrawal Adopted metaphysical principals of Buddhism and Daoism
Decline and Fall of Song Army expensive Jurchen 1126 Song Reestablished Southern Song (capital Huangzhou) Fell to Mongols 1279
Russia (Pre Mongol) Blend of Scandinavians and Slavs City: Kiev
Religion 987 Vladimir needs to choose a religion Sends emissaries to study 1.) Eastern Orthodox 2.) Islam 3.) Roman Catholicism What are the advantages and disadvantages? (Think about the fact that you are studying this for a king)
“The Greeks led us to the buildings where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We only know that God dwells there among men and we cannot forget that beauty.”
Eastern Orthodox Cyrillic Alphabet